Remembering your reality

God extends love, and He in no way recognizes the concept of unacceptability. God does not perceive in you or anyone, anything that is lacking. In His eyes no one is unacceptable. In love we are the extension of God made manifest in our human form. In love we are God’s likeness. Love, and you are as God is. In love we are one with God’s mind. When we extend love we are realizing what it is to share God’s presence. At that very moment we are recognizing our oneness with God. We are remembering who we really are. When love is present, God is present. When we are extending love we are expressing life in its true essence. We are realizing our unity with divine consciousness. When we share love or express love we are being as God is. In that very instant we are remembering who we really are and uniting with our reality.
~Don
¤¤¤BE HAPPY!!¤¤¤

Friends & Blessings

Here is a bit of profundity that was forwarded to me by Bob Hoffmann, a longtime friend and a fellow Happy Being. Thanks Bob.

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with
guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.

They may seem like a godsend and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.


"Such is the moral construction of the world that no national crime passes unpunished in the long run... Were present oppressors to reflect on the same truth, they would spare to their own countries the penalties on their present wrongs which will be inflicted on them in future times. The seeds of hatred and revenge which they [sow] with a large hand will not fail to produce their fruits in time. Like their brother robbers on the highway, they suppose the escape of the moment a final escape and deem infamy and future risk countervailed by present gain."
- Thomas Jefferson

BLESSINGS
Today I had coffee with a delightful, good-spirited, and heartfelt friend. After returning home I wondered why we had been called to meet and chat. Sometimes when Cheri and I meet, I get off on a
tangent babbling drama that has arisen in my life. And in every instance in which I repeat that behavior while in her company, I end up wondering why I do that. After our little coffee get together I wondered to myself why I just blow all this crap out while conversing with her. Then I opened the email that is printed on the prior page While reading it I gained an insight as to why we were called to meet, and why, at this particular time, an appropriate email message was communicated to me vies a vie Bob, a sturdy old friend.

For two days last weekend, retreat participants were united with the frequency vibration of pure divine love. During that time in retreat, I requested that the light be brought forth, and that we adjoin in divine consciousness. For in divine consciousness the light leads the way, and the path of Reality is cleared. Through divine consciousness we were unified with the meaning of our lives and adjoined the mind of God. The messages that were spoken in the retreat were again made aware to me in during the following week.

You see, I was called to meet with my friend Cheri and receive a message from my buddy Bob because it was the Universe’s way of reinforcing my awareness of what love and life are really about. God had sent me two runners to remind me, and keep me on track. I was reminded that the intensity of my concerns and issues are fueled by my own desire to keep the fires of anguish burning. Through the presence and words of these companions I was reminded of my true reality. My mind was redirected and I again recognize the purpose this life would have me serve. These formidable friends are blessings. db¤

Coincidences ~ are they accidental?

Do coincidences just appear by chance or are there some underline invisible basis from which they arise?

I believe that coincidences come forth from our thoughts. Have you ever thought of someone then within a day or so you run in to him or her. This happens to me with such frequency when I think of someone, then see him or her I say: I thought you up.
By that I mean that I have been thinking about you and now here you are.

I believe that as we are being drawn forward by our thoughts, coincidences arise to offer us special messages and guidance that is relative to connecting thought to destiny. Coincidences arise as either a navigational or information tool in leading us along our individual way in life.

A coincidence may appear to show us how to adjust our course; it may reveal what to look out for or something that we should avoid.

A coincidence may appear in the form of information. An off-handed conversation with someone may contain information about one subject that correlates to something entirely different. We may be looking for an answer or solution, and someone else will offer what we are looking for just by giving us an update on what is going on in his or her life.

The important thing about coincidences is to use them. Pay attention to when and how they appear. Try to relate a coincidence to what is being called forth in your life. If you are moving toward a particular idea or destination, look for the message contained in the coincidence that would help you in your movement. db¤

Being Aware Of How You Pray

It is not infrequent that after petitioning to God we feel a let down or experience a sense that God is not listening. Or one may think that God is not responding, and has not taken heed to the request that has put before Him.

For example a petition may be raised to God asking that he present the petitioner with a suitable romantic partner. Or possibly a request is made for discovering the prospects of a better job. In either case, when the request filled prayer goes unheard, then the one making the request is left with sort of an empty and inert feeling. He or she often feels sad and experiences angst.

Instead of praying with a particular request in mind, try meeting God at the source of consciousness from which his love radiates. Ask God to intercede with wisdom and guidance. God communicates to us through love. The wishes that we hold are often not motivated by love, but rather are a reaction to something we feel that we lack. They are a result of seeing what is not really present.

A conventional way of involving God in our lives is through prayer. In doing so often we infer that God is somewhere else and we are here, and we believe that we can get his ear by praying that he uses the power that he possesses out there to quell the issues that arise here. So often it is thought that God appears from on-high to intercede in our lives.

As you know nature repeats its cycles and patterns over and over. So much so that we live our lives in part, according to this repetition. For example we know that a day passes in twenty-four hours. And, we are assured that the oxygen we require is present in the air that we breathe. Without doubt, we realize that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. In our maturation, we come to know that certain laws of nature are also truths.

We can count on to them. And just as we can predict and rely on the static truths of nature, we can likewise depend on the truths of God. So by communicating to God through love we allow His will to be our guide. In doing so we are living according the natural truths of divine consciousness.

If we want to experience God’s intercession in our lives, then it is necessary to meet God though His sole way of communicating. We must experience God’s presence through love. When we do we will be led in the appropriate way. Godly or Universal truths are immutable. They are as reliable and predictable as truths of nature.

You can look toward the west all morning, and will not see a sunrise. The sun always sets in the west and rises in the east. That is an immutable truth. God always communicates through love. That also is an absolute and irrefutable truth. If you want God to appear in your life then you must intercede with Him in accordance with this truth.

Be aware of God’s presence. Ask God to be One with you as you stand in the face of adversity. God is present in your mind. You need not ask that He bring His powers from elsewhere, rather be aware that His power radiates from you. Within you is the presence of God made manifest through the power of love. So the first step in involving God in your life is to realize that through love you may tap into His mind.Then be mindful.

You are now aware that the love of God radiates from within you, so pay attention to the thoughts that are experienced when following that source of love. Avoid conceding to thoughts that originate in self-pity or the belief that you are missing something that you should have. Rather know that love is the pathway on which you travel. Like traveling through rushing, rocky river bottoms realize that the way through rocky life experiences will be made obvious. A way will appear.

God will navigate, and love is the pathway on which you travel. Like traveling trough rushing, rocky, river bottoms, realize that the way through rocky life experiences will be made obvious. A way will appear. God will navigate.

Follow the light. When you experience doubt and want to alter the course, instead surrender your concerns to the light of love that radiates from within you. When problems and issues arise say to yourself: “I am the way, the truth and the light.” Then allow that light to radiate and illuminate the way.

Meditate. Think about who you really are. Reinforce the mind’s ultimate strength with thoughts about who you really are. Know that the presence of God is within you. Know that all things in your life can be approached with that divine presence within. Know that when you see
your problems and issues through love that all matters are resolvable. – Don ¤¤

If you want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it. ~Mother Teresa

I do believe that everything we see, everything that is in front of us is just the visible part of reality. We have the invisible part of reality, like emotions for example, like feelings. This is our perception of the world, but God is--as William Blake said--in a grain of sand and in a flower. This energy is everywhere.
Paulo Coelho Quotes

WHAT IS SOTO ZEN?

Soto Zen emphasizes the practice of "just wholehearted sitting" as an unparalleled way to realize universal buddha nature, and as a great teaching on how to live. It is sitting without a personal goal, letting go of the mind's usual clinging to ideas and identities, and returning endlessly to full engagement in the present moment. Soto Zen also teaches through koans, classic Zen teachings presented in dialogue and action, through the words of Zen masters, and through study of Buddhist sutras.

Soto Zen pays particular attention to making your best effort in all you do, not separating spiritual practice from the rest of your life, and thus to taking the best care you can of the daily realities of family, work, and community. Ethics in Soto Zen are based on the sixteen bodhisattva precepts that are a guide for one's practice and an inquiry into the best way to live. Ceremony and ritual observances are further ways to express people's joys and sorrows.

The universal spiritual practice offered by Soto Zen is particularly relevant to today's complex, dynamic and pressured world. As anxiety about the future increases, a sense of isolation and sadness grows with it, and it is easy to lose one's spiritual compass. Despite increasing standards of comfort, expanding opportunities for education, and the excitement of technology, people in the modern world have not found peace of mind or peace among each other.

Soto Zen is a way of bringing peace into our lives and into our world, because it is a way of awakening and caring. It is a practice based on the creative, life-force of the universe that is native to all beings without exception as their truest nature, known as buddha nature. As this is our nature we have always at hand in this moment the opportunity to awaken to the vast reality of life. We are already in the complete universe of life as it truly is, but we are all too rarely aware of this, so we are rarely able to act in accord with our true nature. Seeing into one's nature, the anxiety of the self gives way to the generosity of equanimity and caring.
~szba.com

Rhymes and Reasons

This song appears on eleven albums. In light of all the displeasure that is being experienced in the lives of so many, these lyrics reflect a source of honesty and simplicity in which we can find reassurance.

So you speak to me of sadness
And the coming of the winter
Fear that is within you now
It seems to never end

And the dreams that have escaped you
And the hope that you’ve forgotten
You tell me that you need me now
You want to be my friend

And you wonder where were going
Where’s the rhyme and where’s the reason
And its you cannot accept
It is here we must begin
To seek the wisdom of the children
And the graceful way of flowers in the wind

For the children and the flowers
Are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness
Could clear a cloudy day

Like the music of the mountains
And the colors of the rainbow
They’re a promise of the future
And a blessing for today
Though the cities start to crumble
And the towers fall around us
The sun is slowly fading
And it’s colder than the sea

It is written from the desert
To the mountains they shall lead us
By the hand and by the heart
They will comfort you and meIn their innocence and trusting

They will teach us to be free

For the children and the flowers
Are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness
Could clear a cloudy day

And the song that I am singing
Is a prayer to non-believers
Come and stand beside us
We can find a better way

~Words and music by John Denver

In these tough times where so few tower over the many who are fearful for the fate of their livelihood. In these times where we look at the real question: How did we allow this to happen? At this time where so many are at the brink of hopelessness, having had to surrender a house, and face gouging credit card debt; at a time where medical attention is getting increasingly scare for the majority, and the ability to provide food for a family is an increasing concern; at a time where political figures make doubtful promises.

Now, at this time listen carefully to the words of this song (Rhymes and Reasons). It will take you to a place of inner simplicity. It will return you to a place that is not of this world. It will return you to a Self that can readily utter what really matters in our lives. It will draw you to place within where your heart and mind are filled with the presence of God. When you arrive at that place listen to what God has to say to you. DON ¤¤

Faithful Attentiveness

How do I reconnect with my true nature? How do I become One with the God within? How do I adjoin with True Self? How do I discover the meaning of my life? Allow one or more of these questions to linger in your mind as you read what follows.

Native to Asia is the Chinese bamboo tree. Compared to most other trees the Chinese bamboo grows in a particularly unusual fashion. It does not emerge from the ground until four years after the seed is planted. Then in the fifth year, at a truly amazing rate of growth, the little shoot pierces the soil and rockets to an amazing height. In a matter of five or six weeks it can grow to a height of 90 or more feet. Some Asians say that an observer can literally watch the Chinese bamboo tree grow right before their eyes.

Being faithful to our True Nature is not unlike the development and growth of the Chinese bamboo tree. You may wait for what is seemingly an indefinite time period to realize the truth about who you are. You may be waiting for the light to draw you to the point of realization, where you can fill your awareness with real love and happiness.
Faith is key, and faith invariably requires waiting with both assurance and patience.

The Chinese bamboo tree does not remain dormant for four years. Rather the reason that growth from the ground up is not observed is because the tree uses four years to develop a vast supportive root system below the ground. Tree growers are however endlessly faithful to what will one day occur. They realize that the tree, in order to grow tall and fast, must first spread its roots deep and wide. For if the tree was to first grow above the ground without developing a hardy root system, little more than a slight wind would bring it down.

If you want to experience a state of consciousness that provides abundant love and happiness, then like the Chinese bamboo you must remain faithful to what you know will one day transpire. You must remain attentive to your intention, and be faithful to the outcome. Whether it is a matter of uncovering the God within, or discovering the meaning of your life, the universe once hearing your request, will begin to produce the required root system.

The bamboo growers are very attentive to the development of the tree. Without expecting to see any visible signs of growth they continue to nurture the fledgling trees with water and fertilizer. And although there are no apparent signs of life, growers realize that the tree is doing what it needs to do below the soil so the above ground plant will
one day grow and flourish. And when the tree finally burst through the soil it does so at an accelerated rate.

The universe intervenes with our loving intentions in much the same way. If we keep our minds focused on the outcome and remain faithful to God’s powers, then at one point when all necessary elements are in perfect balance and harmony, the way to our intentions will open up at an accelerated rate. The appropriate friends, acquaintances and teachers will appear. Also the right situations will develop. These may seem as if they are chance occurrences or coincidences, but they are not. The guiding wisdom of universal love is doing what it knows how to do. It is drawing us to what we are intended to receive.

Be thoughtful about what you request. The energy created by Divine Love is of a higher frequency than conventional ego transmitted energy. Ego energy tries to attract to itself that which it believes that it is lacking. In the realm of Divine Consciousness we are one with the mind of God. We are unified with the Mind that lacks nothing. So when making a request of that mind you are asking for your intention to be fulfilled as it relates to a divine orientation. I am not speaking of request that are specifically centered around ideas like earning a larger paycheck of getting a good deal on a car that you want. I’m speaking of requests that are beyond the dimension of getting things and people to match up to our desires. If you are experiencing financial or transportation issues then ask God to guide you through love to bring you the solution.

Ask that you experience love in a specific facet of your life. For example if you are experiencing job related concerns and would like for the wisdom of God to prevail. Then make that specific request. Keep it in the forefront of your mind. But, don’t meddle. Allow God to do His work. He will send you messages and messengers. Have faith. Be attentive to your intention by meditating. Quiet the concerns and problems that arise in your mind. Let go of all ego-based remedies for solving your problems. Be patient. The tree will sprout. You will be given a direction and your concerns will be handled.

If you are looking for the meaning of your life then ask the question: What is the meaning of my life? After, ask God to allow you to see the answer through love. Once you have asked, be assured that a messenger will deliver the response. You will hear the answer. But before that answer arrives make sure you tend to the tree. Hold loving thoughts in your mind. Avoid doubtfulness or making judgmental perceptions of yourself and others. Nurture your question with love, kindness, peacefulness and compassion. One day a sprout of knowledge will appear and from that sprout you will see new growth. Your True Nature will be revealed and you will be on your way to discovering the meaning of your life. And in that knowledge the
understanding of your Authentic Self will be revealed to you. Don¤¤